Tuna in Coconut Milk

Last year we had the extreme pleasure of visiting the island of Bora Bora in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Because it’s part of French Polynesia, many islanders and hotel staff spoke French. It was fun for me to speak French, albeit limited French.

What was especially fun was eating meals there. Needless to say, the seafood was incredible. I think I ate my weight in most all varieties, experiencing for the first time spiny lobster – cooked over fire.

Randomly, I learned that I could have a cooking class with one of the chefs from the resort, and I jumped on that plan. The chef’s name was Cyndie, from Lyons, France. She had actually cooked with Paul Bocuse! Her plan was for me to learn a local dish called Tuna in Coconut Milk.

I had no idea she planned for us to start with a whole coconut, but of course she did! It’s Bora Bora! The following photos show Chef Cyndie and a coconut which we grated on an ancient coconut grater. It took some getting used to but eventually I got into the rhythm. We collected the coconut meat then squeezed it in a cloth to remove the milk, which was so naturally sweet and delicious.

Chef Cyndie then showed me how to put together the dish, which consisted of chopped raw tuna, lime juice, coconut milk, and then some julienned fresh vegetables. Th mixture was placed in a coconut half for a beautiful presentation. A presentation way better than mine!

I enjoyed the dish with a chilled white, and what an island experience it was. I was also gifted a cookbook. Here’s the recipe from Bora Bora Kitchen, called Poisson Cru, which is “The typical Tahitian dish!”

After getting home, of course I had to make this. Fortunately I was able to open the coconut without cutting off my arm.

Poison Cru
Raw Tuna with Coconut Milk

Serves 2

1 pound bluefin tuna
Juice of 2 limes
Salt, about 1 teaspoon
1 carrot
1/4 cucumber
2 tomatoes (I used a red bell pepper)
1/2 red onion
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
Cilantro leaves

Dice the tuna in relatively small squares (cubes). Season with lime juice, salt and pepper. I got the AHI TUNA SAKU BLOCK from Wild Fork Foods, a fabulous resource of just about anything. Because the block was refrigerated a few days before using, the color faded a bit, but it was still delicious.

Peel and grate the carrot. Peel and cut cucumber in thin slices after removing seeds. (I julienned the carrot and cucumber.) Slice up the red bell pepper and red onion thinly.

Mix the vegetables with the tuna and add the coconut milk.

Serve in a halved coconut, or bowl, and top with cilantro leaves.

Tama’a Maitai!

By Published On: June 5th, 202534 Comments on Tuna in Coconut Milk

About the Author: Chef Mimi

As a self-taught home cook, with many years in the culinary profession, I am passionate about all things food-related. Especially eating!

34 Comments

  1. Dorothy's New Vintage Kitchen June 5, 2025 at 7:14 AM - Reply

    What a fun and exotic experience!

    • Chef Mimi June 5, 2025 at 11:11 AM - Reply

      I know! We’re so lucky we get to travel now.

  2. Healthy World Cuisine June 5, 2025 at 7:19 AM - Reply

    What a delicious and unique recipe. We poach fish all the time in coconut milk but have never tried it this way sashimi style.

    • Chef Mimi June 5, 2025 at 11:11 AM - Reply

      It was so so good.

  3. beth June 5, 2025 at 8:26 AM - Reply

    this sounds delicous

    • Chef Mimi June 5, 2025 at 11:11 AM - Reply

      It was definitely delicious!

  4. David Scott Allen June 5, 2025 at 10:36 AM - Reply

    Sounds fantastic!

    • Chef Mimi June 5, 2025 at 11:10 AM - Reply

      It really was!

  5. Gerlinde de Broekert June 5, 2025 at 2:15 PM - Reply

    This looks fantastic Mimi, a great presentation. I am not a big fan of dried coconut but I like the fresh ones.

    • Chef Mimi June 8, 2025 at 12:27 AM - Reply

      Fresh is definitely best!

  6. sherry June 5, 2025 at 5:53 PM - Reply

    this sounds very flavourful Mimi. i have fond memories of my dad breaking up fresh coconuts when we were kids. Yep even in freezing cold Melbourne, we had fresh coconuts in the shops. I do love a ceviche-style dish!

    • Chef Mimi June 8, 2025 at 12:28 AM - Reply

      Oh that sounds wonderful!

  7. Charlie DeSando June 6, 2025 at 9:50 AM - Reply

    Great looking presentation!

    • Chef Mimi June 8, 2025 at 12:28 AM - Reply

      Thanks, Charlie!

  8. Frank Fariello June 7, 2025 at 9:27 AM - Reply

    Looks amazing, Mimi. Having fresh seafood in Bora Bora sounds like a dream. And the taste of coconut milk from coconuts fresh from the tree must have been delicious. I would have eaten the bowl, too… :-)

    • Chef Mimi June 8, 2025 at 12:28 AM - Reply

      Thanks Frank. It was a wonderful experience.

  9. Ann Coleman June 8, 2025 at 8:51 AM - Reply

    that does look good!

    • Chef Mimi June 9, 2025 at 2:44 AM - Reply

      I need to make it again. It’s a 5 minute recipe!

  10. Ben | Havocinthekitchen June 8, 2025 at 8:51 AM - Reply

    I love your whimsical and beautiful presentation – and I bet it tastes great!

    • Chef Mimi June 9, 2025 at 2:45 AM - Reply

      Thank you! Chefs are so skilled.

  11. StefanGourmet June 8, 2025 at 1:03 PM - Reply

    What a great experience and a lovely recipe! Good job on opening a coconut by yourself — I have tried that once and failed miserably. Apart from fearing another coconut failure I’m hesitant to try to make this here, as simple dishes like this require top quality ingredients to make them really work. I’ll have to remember to prepare this next time I am in a tropical destination like Costa Rica.

    • Chef Mimi June 9, 2025 at 2:45 AM - Reply

      Well I lost all of the coconut water, so I didn’t do it “right,” but I kept all of my fingers!

  12. Evening With A Sandwich June 8, 2025 at 7:03 PM - Reply

    Fabulous!! I can imagine how fresh the seafood was in Bora Bora and recreating the dish at home-a fun experience. I love coconut milk too. I think coconut milk adds an extra something special to dishes.

    • Chef Mimi June 9, 2025 at 2:46 AM - Reply

      It definitely does! Like Thai dishes!

  13. fatsochef June 9, 2025 at 4:13 AM - Reply

    You just added Bora Bora on my list 😄!!!

    • Chef Mimi June 10, 2025 at 10:01 AM - Reply

      Yay!!!!

  14. Anonymous June 10, 2025 at 2:05 PM - Reply

    What a fantastic recipe idea. Looks fabulous!

    • Chef Mimi June 13, 2025 at 8:03 AM - Reply

      Thanks so much!

  15. Fran @ G'day Souffle' June 10, 2025 at 2:48 PM - Reply

    Looks fabulous, plus I’ve also wanted to crack open a coconut to extract the juice, but have been reluctant to do so! Thanks for the link to Wild Fork Foods!

    • Chef Mimi June 13, 2025 at 8:03 AM - Reply

      It is kind of scary!!!

  16. Eva Taylor June 10, 2025 at 3:28 PM - Reply

    I had something like this in Vegas many years ago. They referred to it as a ceviche but it was in Coconut milk which made it luxuriously creamy and sweet. I made it when we returned but it wasn’t the same. I will have to try your recipe to see if it is similar to what I remember.

    • Chef Mimi June 13, 2025 at 8:04 AM - Reply

      Definitely the tuna isn’t “cooked” in the lime juice; it’s just for the flavor.

  17. Raymund June 11, 2025 at 7:00 PM - Reply

    Wow, what an amazing experience cooking with a French chef in Bora Bora and starting with a whole fresh coconut sounds like a dream!

    • Chef Mimi June 13, 2025 at 8:08 AM - Reply

      Exactly! It was a fabulous experience!

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